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Seth and Loretta Smith from Nemaha, Iowa were recognized as the 2017 OCIA R&E Outstanding Organic Farmer of the Year. On their farm (Coon River Farms, Inc) they grow a corn, soybean, oats, alfalfa, and cover crop rotation. They also run 190 beef cow/calf pairs and finish beef cattle in their 2,000 hd feedlot. Seth believes that his compost is the major component of his soil building strategy. Planting a variety of crops including covers, builds the soil by feeding the microbes. Using a variety of farming strategies like shallow undercutting of hay crops to terminate them, ridgetill, and shallow spring tillage provide a variety for their soils and its inhabitants. Seth stays active in his local OCIA Iowa Chapter #1 and has served as past president on their board. He has hosted several field days and was chosen by Farm Credit Services to be in an ad campaign to connect urban consumers with farmers. Their family picture and story are on Tastee O cereal boxes at Hy-Vee.

Field pea (Pisum sativum) and lentil (Lens culinaris L.) are important crops on the Canadian Prairies; however, they are uncompetitive in the presence of weeds resulting in a high potential for yield loss. Inter-row cultivation has the potential to improve weed control in organic systems with minimal soil disturbance allowing field pea and lentil to achieve economically sustainable yields.

A replicated field experiment was conducted in 2014, by Scholarship Recipient Katherine Stanley, to evaluate the tolerance of field pea and lentil to inter-row cultivation. Cultivation began at the 4 node stage and occurred every week for the next six weeks. There was no significant yield loss in field pea or lentil when inter-row cultivated at early growth stages. Field pea tolerated two cultivation timings during the growing season, which allows for control of a second flush of weeds. Cultivating more than once in lentil resulted in yield loss. Inter-row cultivation shows potential for weed control in field pea and lentil. Click here to read Katherine's Final Report.

Elizabeth Costello, from the University of Montana, was a 2014 OCIA R&E Scholarship Recipient. Elizabeth’s project entitled, “How Utility Patents on Plants and Genetic Material Impact Plant Breeders,” describes and analyzes how utility patents and other stringent property protections on plant genetic material hinder the advancement of research and development in plant breeding, especially as it relates to organics. Click here to read her Final Report.